Systems and methods for crowdsourced delivery

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing crowdsourced delivery. In some embodiments, a system for providing crowdsourced delivery comprises a database, a mobile device configured to receive user information for a user, present a list including delivery tasks, receive selection of one of the delivery tasks, capture an image of a cargo area of the user's vehicle, generate an augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, and present the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, and a control circuit configured to register the user, determine that one of the plurality of retail facilities needs a product, determine that one of the plurality of distribution centers possesses the product, generate a delivery task for the product, transmit an indication of the delivery task, generate an identifier, and transmit the identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing crowdsourced delivery, the system comprising:
 a database, wherein the database includes inventory data for a plurality of retail facilities, item files for a plurality of products, and inventory data for a plurality of distribution centers;   a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes a user input device and a display device, wherein the mobile device is configured to:
 receive, via the user input device, user information for a user; 
 present, via the display device, a list, wherein the list includes a plurality of delivery tasks; 
 receive, via the user input device, selection of one of the plurality of delivery tasks; 
 capture, via a camera of the mobile device, an image of a cargo area of the user's vehicle; 
 generate, based on the image of the cargo area of the user's vehicle and an augmented reality presentation of the product, an augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, wherein the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle aids the user in determining whether the user can accommodate the product; and 
 present, via the display device, the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle; and 
   a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile device, and wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 register, based on the user information for the user, the user; 
 determine, based on inventory data for a plurality of retail facilities, that one of the plurality of retail facilities needs a product; 
 determine, based on the inventory data for a plurality of distribution centers, that one of the plurality of distribution centers possesses the product; 
 generate, for inclusion in the list, a delivery task for the product; 
 transmit, to the mobile device, an indication of the delivery task for the product, wherein the indication of the delivery task for the product includes the augmented reality presentation of the product, and wherein the augmented reality presentation of the product is based on the item files for a plurality of products; 
 generate, in response to selection of the one of the plurality of delivery tasks, an identifier, wherein the identifier indicates the user and the one of the plurality of delivery tasks; and 
 transmit, to the mobile device, the identifier. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scanning device, wherein the scanning device is located at the one of the plurality of retail facilities, and wherein the scanning device is configured to scan the identifier; and   wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive an indication that the identifier has been scanned by the scanning device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is further is further configured to:
 capture, via the camera of the mobile device, an image of a marker, wherein the image of the marker is used for scale in generating the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein multiple of the plurality of distribution centers possesses the product, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 select, from the multiple of the plurality of distribution facilities, the one of the plurality of distribution facilities.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the control circuit selects the one of plurality of distribution centers based on one or more of a location of each of the multiple of the distribution centers, a location of the user, a quantity of the product at each of the multiple distribution centers, planned shipments from each of the multiple distribution centers, and a location of the one of the plurality of retail facilities. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 facilitate payment to the user.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is configured to facilitate payment to the user after receipt of confirmation that the delivery task for the product has been completed. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the list of delivery tasks includes one or more of an indication of a product associated with each of the delivery tasks, a location of a distribution center, a location of a retail facility, a payment associated with each of the delivery tasks, and timing requirements associated with each of the delivery tasks. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the registration of the user includes a background check of the user. 
     
     
         10 . A method for providing crowdsourced delivery, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device via a user input device, user information for a user;   registering, by a control circuit based on the user information for the user, the user;   determining, by the control circuit based on inventory data for a plurality of retail facilities in a database, that one of the plurality of retail facilities needs a product;   determining, by the control circuit based on inventory data for a plurality of distribution centers in the database, that one of the plurality of distribution centers possesses the product;   generating, by the control circuit for inclusion in a list, a delivery task for the product;   transmitting, by the control circuit to the mobile device, an indication of the delivery task for the product, wherein the indication of the delivery task for the product includes an augmented reality presentation of the product, and wherein the augmented reality presentation of the product is based on an item file in the database;   presenting, via a display device of the mobile device, the list, wherein the list includes a plurality of delivery tasks, wherein the plurality of delivery tasks includes the delivery task for the product;   receiving, via the user input device of the mobile device, selection of the delivery task for the product;   capturing, via a camera of the mobile device, an image of a cargo area of the user's vehicle;   generating, based on the image of the cargo area of the user's vehicle and the augmented reality presentation of the product, an augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, wherein the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle aids the user in determining whether the user can accommodate the product;   presenting, via the display device of the mobile device, the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle;   generating, by the control circuit in response to the selection of the delivery task for the product, an identifier, wherein the identifier indicates the user and the delivery task for the product; and   transmitting, by the control circuit to the mobile device, the identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 scanning, by a scanning device located at the one of the plurality of retail facilities, the identifier; and   receiving, by the control circuit, an indication that the identifier has been scanned by the scanning device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 capturing, by the camera of the mobile device, an image of a marker, wherein the image of the marker is used for scale in generating the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein multiple of the plurality of distribution centers possess the product, the method further comprising:
 selecting, by the control circuit from the multiple of the plurality of distribution centers, the one of the plurality of distribution centers.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selecting the one of the plurality of distribution centers is based on one or more of a location of each of the multiple of the distribution centers, a location of the user, a quantity of the product at each of the multiple distribution centers, planned shipments from each of the multiple distribution centers, and a location of the one of the plurality of retail facilities. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 facilitating, by the control circuit, payment to the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the facilitating the payment to the user is performed after receipt of confirmation that the delivery task for the product has been completed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the list of delivery tasks includes one or more of an indication of a product associated with each of the delivery tasks, a location of a distribution center, a location of a retail facility, a payment associated with each of the delivery tasks, and timing requirements associated with each of the delivery tasks. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the registering the user includes a background check of the user.